hey all, I was wondering if anyone can tell me how contractions start out. I mean like are they strong enough to hurt at first, or are they more like stronger b/h. I have been getting b/h alot lately, but they seem to get stronger. Tonight I am feeling them even stronger, and it seems to radiate to my back, but totally tolerable, and not lasting long at all, like 10 seconds if that. Is this how the contractions start and work up to real strong, more frequent, and longer, or no. I have a docs appt tomorrow night, but just curious about it. I did not have this with my dd, I was induced and got a epidural, so I did not really feel much with her. This one hopefully will be different. I am 37 wks pg now. thanks for the advice in advance.

They don't ususally start out real strong. They get stronger as time goes on. Every pregnancy is different. After your water breaks, they are really strong. With my first child, I didn't even know they were contractions. They just kinda felt like cramps. Had an appointment the next day and doc sent me to the hospital. I was already dilated to 5. With my second though, I knew they were contractions, but they were so random. Everyone kept asking how far apart they were. It was funny, I told them I had no clue. It varied between 5 and 15 minutes apart. With her though, I also had an appt. the following day and the doc totally freaked out. Her head was right there!! So, if I ever have a third baby, I'm just gonna camp out at the hospital the last month!! Goodluck!! and Congrats!! It is such a wonderful experience. Being a mommy!! If I don't succeed at anything else at least I know I had 2 beautiful children that I brought into this world!!!

I was wondering, since my dh and I are trying to get this little one to come early, he sat and rubbed my feet last night, we tried the nipple stimlation for bout half hour, and then of course the sex (which was kinda uncomfortable)lol, and I was getting them, I could definatly notice the tightening, but it did not hurt, it would get a little uncomfortable, when I had to go potty, but that was about it. Then I guess it stopped. I guess I have to try other things too, I am gonna make appt for pedicure, not sure what else to try besides the raspberry tea and the primrose oil pills, don't think I wanna go the castor oil direction though.

From past experience, let me tell you that they can start out very strong. When I was pregnant with ds, I was 10 days overdue, and had so symptoms whatsoever of ever going into labor. Dh and I were doing some last minute baby shopping at Walmart, and when I walked in the door, I had a contraction that put me to the ground. We left immediately, and by the time we got home( 10 minute drive), they were getting much more intense, and coming every 1.5 minutes, and lasting 1 minute each. I was admitted into the hospital right away, and they continued to progress.

contractions can feel like braxton hicks. and you cant always go by how far apart contractions are. with my second daughter, i started having braxton hicks in my 7th month and they continued regularly. so the evening that i was in labor, i thought it was just another episode of braxton hicks, so i didnt pay too close attention to the pains. after about 3-4 hours, i started wondering, so i started timing them.....wellllll, didnt help to time them!! contractions were so erratic, i didnt know what to think. so i called my sister to see if she could help me. (what i thought was braxton hicks started around 7 pm)....this was about 11 p.m. we stayed on the phone until 4 am trying to figure it out and couldnt. one minute the contractions would be 3 minutes apart, then wouldnt have another for 20 minutes, then 2 minutes, then 15 minutes......it was like that all night long!!! it changed everytime i had a contraction....and they were never consistant or close together. so finally at 4 am i told my sister that i was going to wake dh up and have him to take me....if for nothing else but for them to give me something for pain so that i could get some sleep. i got to the hospital and was already dilated to a 5!!!

its different with each person though. some start out hard and strong, some light and easy. some never have warning....their water breaks then contractions start. some have contractions just in the belly.....some just in the back.....some have them circling from belly to back (which is how i done). my advice to you....is if you are in doubt..and feel concerned.....call the dr, or go to the er....when you are fixing to have a baby....its better to be safe than sorry.

thanks for the advice all, I have a docs appt tonight and will ask them about this. Today, they have been real light, like normal, but last night they were definatly stronger. I realize that everyone is different lol, that was why I was curious to see how it happened for others. I am afraid that with all the pain, I have had with this pregnancy, and not having anything with dd during pg, or labor, that I am afraid I will miss the signs lol, and wind up having the baby at home or somewhere I don't wanna be, but the hospital lol, but that is prolly normal to think that also. I guess I will just have to make dh work harder lol, I think I wanna call my massage guy and see if he will just do a foot massage and see what happens. I want this baby asap lol, I need to get more comfortable and not so much pain, it is hard to take this much longer, I wanna cry sometimes, that how bad my pelvic pain is lol. thanks again,

keep posting though, I am interested to hear how things went for others, thanks

I thought braxton hicks you felt in your belly, but real contractions radiated to your back, or all back, whatever. The contractions I was getting was in my belly, but no biggie at all, assuming b/h. Now they go more to my back and belly, thanks again

I'm totally opposite, you're afraid of delivering at home, and I'm afraid of going to the hospital and being stuck there for 20 or more hours. I pray that the baby will come soon, I'm not due until aug 3, but sleeping is almost impossible now, and I have so much pressure on my bladder that unless i'm in the bathroom when I have to go, I never make it in time. I'm afraid to go out for fear of wetting my pants, so first thing tomorrow I will have to go and get some pads.

lol I know what you mean, I have only slipped once with this pregnancy, and that was because I coughed. I think if you work on your kegels to tighten up those muscles, then you may not have to worry so much. There have been times that I have sat up at night, stood up and almost peed my pants, and I run to the bathroom lol. It stinks, but we are almost done